Cyber Crime in the Time of Need

By Lara Joson | July 30, 2020
Circulation Manager

As the spread of COVID-19 worsens day by day, more netizens continue to rely on online platforms like Lazada and Grab Food to meet their needs. These services are appealing not only because of their convenience but also because they feature contactless transactions, which may abate the transmission of the disease.

However, the risk of cyber crimes is also rising. No system is perfect. Many have exploited the situation to attack netizens through different malwares which can invade, damage, steal and cancel personal data on online devices.

Social media users, for instance, have become witnesses and victims to the recent surge of dummy accounts on Facebook. Aside from being linked to online harassment, dummy accounts are concerning because they can potentially damage the reputation of legitimate users. The discovery of these accounts came at a time of public outrage over the anti-terrorism bill.

In such cases, it is advisable to report and block the said dummy accounts to prevent it from happening again. It is also advisable to check your accounts if you have any personal information that may be risky to be put online.

Fake news has also become more widespread during these times. There have been a number of cases where people shared posts of home remedies that would supposedly grant them immunity to the virus, while false statistics and reports of COVID-19 cases have continued to fill the internet.

Fake news sows confusion and mistrust, which may hinder people’s ability to take action against the virus. Before sharing information, make sure it comes from a reliable source. Verify the information by checking other sources as well. Lastly, check if the shared information is up-to-date.

That being said, netizens must remain vigilant at all times. These crimes are not always easy to spot, but they can be prevented. As people shift to the new normal, they must learn how to properly use and access platforms they see online in order to protect themselves from malicious attacks.